Mura - Petišovci
The border Mura section between Slovenia and Croatia, downstream from Petišovci does not have fortified embankments like other river sections. The river is meandering freely, which can be seen on historical satellite images.
In particular, between Gibina and Podturen, the Mura River returns to its natural course and makes its way downstream into the central Pannonian basin. The power of a wild river is immense. It has an enormous carrying capacity, with not only clay, sand and gravel, but entire sections of the river banks, together with the vegetation, being incessantly eroded and displaced.
The fortification of the river banks is omitted and replaced by barrages to maintain the water during floods. This allows, on the one hand, the accumulation of gravel and, on the other hand, the maintenance of water to revive the floods.
The fortification of the river banks is omitted and replaced by barrages to maintain the water during floods. This allows, on the one hand, the accumulation of gravel and, on the other hand, the maintenance of water to revive the floods.
The fortification of the river banks is omitted and replaced by barrages to maintain the water during floods. This allows, on the one hand, the accumulation of gravel and, on the other hand, the maintenance of water to revive the floods.
Although the river landscape in the Petišovci section can be considered natural, we witnessed numerous human activities (sand exploitation, logging, tourism, recreation areas, farming, pastures, military purposes, etc.). Gravel mining continues to have the greatest impact on the riverbed, impeding natural accumulations such as islands and gravel bars. It also affects the extent of humidification of inland oxbow lakes, which dry up as a result. The oxbow lakes contain a variety of plant and animal species that thrive in both summer and winter.
The river flow slows down here and material which was taken through the process of riverbed deepening further upstream is deposited. The analysis and comparison of several time-lapse satellite images shows the presence of gravel pits in the area, which increased after most of the hydroelectric power plants had been built in Austria (after the end of the 1980s).
Different plant and animal species thrive in this area. One of them is the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) which often leaves its visible marks on nearby trees.
The presence of wild animals such as beavers in the area is a consequence of the decreasing or complete absence of human activity.
The presence of wild animals such as beavers in the area is a consequence of the decreasing or complete absence of human activity.
The presence of wild animals such as beavers in the area is a consequence of the decreasing or complete absence of human activity.
A good example of this is the Murska Šuma, a unique lowland floodplain predominantly deciduous forest that stretches along the Slovenian-Croatian-Hungarian border, at the confluence of the Ledava and the Mura rivers.
The Murska Šuma is home to many bird species, making it one of the most important ornithological areas in Slovenia. The illustration shows European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster).
Part of the Murska Šuma has been preserved as virgin forest.
